Ear Bliss: Insiderâs guide to the music of the Newport Folk Festival

July 22, 2013

By

DAN FERGUSON

The Milk Carton Kids

Part One

Whatâs the hottest music ticket once again this summer in Rhode Island? The fact the entire event was nearly all sold out in January before they had even begun announcing performers, itâs pretty safe to say the Newport Folk Festival gets the nod.

For the last half dozen years or so, the festival would begin with a small Friday night show at the Newport Casino. Last near they bumped things up a notch moving to Fort Adams State Park, home of the Saturday and Sunday festivities, for an evening of music headlined by Wilco. The success of that night, and the festival in general, has led to what this year will be three full days of music beginning on Friday morning.
Whereas the headliners on Fridayâs bill are known quantities (Feist, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Mountain Goats), festivals like Newport Folk are also about discovery, namely the less familiar acts appearing on the smaller stages on the festival grounds.
For the next three weeks, Ear Bliss will provide an insiderâs guide to some of those acts without the clout of a Beck or Jim James. This first week is dedicated to Friday performers. One of the must-see events on Friday is the âNewport Homegrownâ stage presented by The Low Anthem and featuring four up and coming Rhode Island acts including Roz Raskin & the Rice Cakes, Last Good Tooth, Death Vessel and Vudu Sister.
Letâs dig in.

Band: Kingsley Flood
From: Boston, Mass. and Washington, D.C.
Latest album: Battles (2013, self-released)
Description: The band itself cites everything from the soul and R&B sounds of the Stax Records catalogue to the The Kinks and The Clash as influential in the making of Battles.
Tidbit: December saw Kingsley Flood win the Boston Music Award for Americana act of the year.

Band: John McCauley
From: Providence, R.I.
RIYL: Deer Tick (duh!), Diamond Rugs (double duh!)
Description: Be it Deer Tick, Diamond Rugs or solo. Mr. McCauley is an absolutely compelling performer with an undeniable stage presence.
Tidbit: These days, McCauley resides in Nashville. This past April he was named to the Newport Folk Festivalâs Board of Advisors. His band Deer Tick has a new album due out in September.

Band: The Last Bison
From: Southeastern Virginia
Latest album: Inheritance (EP) (2013, Universal Republic Records)
RIYL: The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes
Description: Mountain music meets chamber music.
Tidbit: The band is a multi-family affair led by Ben Hardesty and includes his father Dan, sister Annah, and brothers Jay and Andrew Benfante.

Band: Last Good Tooth
From: Providence, R.I.
Latest album: Not Without Work and Rest (2013, Team Love Records)
RIYL: Avett Brothers, Violent Femmes
Description: Appalachia meets the Garage with jam spread all over it.
Tidbit: The band members of Last Good Tooth met at RISD.

Band: Roz Raskin & the Rice Cakes
From: Providence, R.I.
Latest album: Monster Man (2011, self-released EP)
RIYL: Radiohead gone pop.
Description: Folk-inspired pop music chock full of melody.
Tidbit: Winners of the 2012 WBRU Rock Hunt with a new album planned for release at the end of 2013.

(Dan Ferguson is a freelance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcast Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on WRIU-FM 90.3.)